India
A man accused of allegedly raping a 26-year-old woman at gunpoint in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar was injured in a police encounter on Saturday after he allegedly opened fire at a police team while trying to escape, officials said.
The accused, identified as Sridhar Panda from Ganjam district, was traced to the Chandaka area during the investigation into the alleged sexual assault. Police said a team approached him to take him into custody when he allegedly fired two rounds and attempted to flee.
According to Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police Saravana Dr Vivek M Saravana, police responded by firing at Panda in what officials described as self-defence. The accused suffered two bullet injuries to his left foot and was subsequently taken to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar for treatment.
“The accused fired two rounds at the police while attempting to escape. The police fired in self-defence,” the DCP said. Police added that Panda would be formally arrested after he recovers from his injuries.
The encounter followed a complaint filed by the alleged victim at Nayapalli police station on Thursday. In her first information report, the 26-year-old woman alleged that a masked man entered her rented house in Behera Sahi on Wednesday evening when she was alone.
The woman told police that the man threatened her with what appeared to be a gun before allegedly sexually assaulting her. Police said the accused subsequently tied her up using her scarf and damaged her mobile phone before fleeing from the house.
Investigators later found that the weapon allegedly used during the incident may not have been a real firearm. According to police, Panda had allegedly used a lighter designed to resemble a gun, or a fake firearm, to intimidate the woman.
A senior police official said Panda allegedly had two previous cases related to mobile theft. Investigators suspect that he had initially entered the area with the intention of stealing a mobile phone after allegedly conducting a recce of the house. Police said his alleged motive changed after he found the woman alone.
CCTV footage has emerged as a key part of the investigation. Police said cameras captured the accused walking away from the area towards CRP Square, where he allegedly boarded an Ama Bus. Investigators further alleged that he later stole a motorcycle and used it to flee.
Police teams have been examining CCTV recordings from multiple locations along the suspected escape route in an effort to establish his movements after the alleged crime and before his interception in Chandaka.
A scientific team also visited the alleged crime scene and collected samples as part of the investigation. The evidence is expected to form part of the broader probe into the allegations.
The Odisha State Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of the incident on Friday. The commission directed the Bhubaneswar DCP to submit a report on the case within 15 days.
Panda remains under treatment at Capital Hospital. Police said his formal arrest will take place after his recovery, while further investigation into the alleged rape, the reported use of a fake firearm, the suspected theft and his subsequent attempt to flee is underway.
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